Easy recipe for the Best Classic Lemon Bars with a Shortbread Crust. A homemade shortbread crust is topped with a simple lemon filling and baked just until set is perfect for when you want a little burst of sunshine in your mouth.
These lemon squares have the perfect amount of lemon to shortbread ratio. Not too sweet, not too tart.
THICK OR THIN
I don’t like mine thick and gooey. I like to be able to hold it like a cookie rather than eat it with a fork.
I want to be able to pack them into the crew’s lunches without fear of them turning into a smooshed mess. I am sure that personal preferences are all over the board on this topic.
If you want a thicker cookie layer, just increase the shortbread crust ingredients by 50% more and add 5 to 10 minutes to the first baking time.
I would not recommend a thinner crust than this one though, the filling will ooze out the bottom during baking.
It is already fairly thin. Instead, Increase the amount of the topping by 50% or double it. and increase the second baking time by at least 8 minutes.
Bake until the center is no longer jiggly when gently shaking the baking pan.
FORMING AN EVEN CRUST
I find the best way to get this crust evenly formed is to use the bottom of a measuring cup.
Crumble the crust as evenly as possible over the bottom of a prepared pan and gently press the measuring cup over the crust.
You may need to use your fingers for the corners.
If the measuring cup sticks to the crust, just dip the bottom of the cup into some flour.
DIFFERENT BAKING TEMPERATURES
You will notice that there are 2 different baking temperatures listed. This is not a mistake.
The Crust
The crust needs to be cooked separately at a higher temperature to make sure it is sturdy enough to hold the lemon filling without absorbing any of it.
If the crust baked separately were at a lower temperature, it will brown the edges before the center is set.
The Lemon Layer
At 375 degrees F, the middle will set without burning the edges.
The filling is baked at a lower temperature to avoid browning the entire top.
You can try and change the temperature of one or the other, but I do not guarantee the success of this recipe with those changes.
I have had bad experiences on both ends when I have forgotten to reduce the temperature or got lazy and just set it to 350 degrees F from the outset.
ARE THEY DONE?
You will know that they are done when the middle does not jiggle and you begin to see some brown spots. Like the photo above.
ADDING POWDERED SUGAR TO THE TOP
These taste great even without sprinkling powdered sugar on top.
I only add it because most people kind of expect to see it and it hides those few brown spots on top.
Do not add the powdered sugar until they are completely cooled.
Otherwise, it will melt into the bars and it will become a sticky mess.
I use a flour duster to get an even layer. If I can’t find my duster, I have been known to use one of my smaller steel strainers, just dump it in and gently tap the sides to get a nice sprinkling of powdered sugar.
LEMON ZEST
Lemon zest on the top is not a necessary addition either. It does, however, give an extra lemon zip. Always use fresh lemon zest for topping on baked goods.
You can use a microplane or a zester for making lemon zest.
If you use a grater much larger than a zester/grater, you run the risk of getting lemon pith mixed in with the zest. Lemon pith is bitter and will ruin a dessert.
One of my first kitchen disasters was using a food processor to “grate” my lemons. I was too young to know that zest was bitter.
To this day I don’t eat lemon meringue pie because I can still taste that ruined dessert when I think about it.
HOW TO SERVE
As with all lemon desserts, this one is good with hot coffee and tea.
It is perfect for an afternoon snack at work, or an after-school snack for kids.
I tend to serve these mostly during the spring and summer, but lemons are available year-round and I should probably make them more often in the fall and winter.
It might bring the flavor of summer to those dark winter days!
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Best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Lemon Filling
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.
- Prepare a 9 X 13 cake pan by spraying with baking spray. Alternatively, line the baking pan with parchment paper then cover with baking spray.
- Combine all shortbread crust ingredients in a small bowl. Using a pastry cutter, 2 butter knives, or fingers, mix until crumbly.
- Sprinkle crumbs evenly in cake pan.
- Using the bottom of a cup, or a measuring cup, pat down the crumbs until they are even and smooth.
- Place cake pan into preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or just until the edges of the shortbread crust are beginning to brown.
- Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350 Degree F.
Lemon Filling
- In a bowl, mix eggs and sugar until well combined.
- Add flour and mix until there are no lumps.
- Add lemon juice and lemon zest, mix until well blended.
- Pour over top of warm to the hot crust.
- Place into 350 Degree F oven.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until topping no longer looks wet.
- Remove from oven.
- Allow lemon bars to cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Place into refrigerator until the bars are completely cooled and set, about an hour.
- Once set and cooled, cut into desired size and shape.
Notes
Nutrition
SHARING IS CARING!
Lauren
Can you use unsalted butter instead of salted? Looking forward to making these! 🙂
Beth Mueller
Hi Lauren!
You can use unsalted butter! Just add a pinch of salt. Hope this helps!
Cheers!
stella P.D.
Can i change the flour with wholemeal flour??
Beth Mueller
Hi Stella!
If I were going to attempt this with whole wheat flour I would reduce the flour called for. Wholemeal (Whole wheat) is denser than white flour, so when using it you’ll need to reduce the flour in the crust to 1 1/2 cups. If the dough is too crumbly to form into a crust you may need to add 1 tablespoon of water. In the filling, I would reduce it to 3 tablespoons of flour.
Stay Safe!
Loren Ericksen
Delicious and so easy to put together. Definitely a keeper recipe and an excellent, interesting blog too! I can’t wait to try more recipes from this site.
Beth Mueller
Hi Loren!
Thank you for your kind words! Glad you enjoyed the lemon bars!
Cheers!
Nic
Made this recipe and every single person loved it!!!
if I was to switch out the lemon bars to make them key lime do you think I could keep the measurements the same? 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice & 1 tablespoon of zest? Would it work like that
Beth Mueller
Hi Nic!
Using key lime juice would be fine and the measurements wouldn’t change. My only suggestion would be to use fresh lime juice if you have it, even if it’s just regular limes.
Let me know how it turns out.
Cheers!
Lisa Mollenkamp
These look beautiful and I want to make them for Thanksgiving. In one of your pictures, it kinda looks like you baked them on a cookie sheet but the recipe calls for a 9×13. Have you ever made them on a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan? I am wondering how I would adjust the recipe to do that. Thanks for any advice you can give.
Beth Mueller
Hi Lisa!
Thanks for visiting!
Sorry if the photos were confusing. Some of the photos were taken after the bars were removed from the baking pan. I find I get cleaner cuts when they are sitting on the counter or a cookie sheet and I can make one large cut at a time with my chef’s knife. The hubby gets miffed if I cut directly on the granite, so I tend to use a cookie sheet larger than my baked goods for cutting when he is around. Hahahaha!
I would not use any pan that doesn’t have sides on it (like my cookie sheet in the photo) because the lemon filling would run off and onto the oven floor – Yikes! To make these lemon bars in a jelly roll pan (17.5″ X 12″) you would need to double the recipe.
The second part of the baking process (after the filling has been added) may take a few more minutes for the center to set up. Remove the lemon bars from the oven as soon as the center no longer looks “wet”. If your cookie sheet is smaller than that, use 1 1/2 times the recipe.
Hope this helps!
Beth
Kristin
Do these freeze & thaw well so as to be prepped in advanced, and dusted later upon plating & serving?
Beth Mueller
Hi Kristin!
You can freeze these! Go with your thinking about not dusting them, the powdered sugar will turn gummy.
I would freeze them in a single layer and then store them between layers of wax paper or parchment to prevent them from sticking to each other.
When thawing, separate them back into a single layer to thaw, again to prevent sticking. Once completely thawed go ahead and dust the lemon bars with powdered sugar.
Cheers!
Mallory
Where is the shortbread recipe?
Beth Mueller
Hi Mallory!
Thanks for visiting and letting me know the recipe card wasn’t clear!
I have placed ingredient separators into the recipe card. The first three ingredients in the old card are the shortbread crust ingredients.
Cheers!